Dispensing closure



Feb. 2, 1960 E. J. NAWOJ ETAL DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed Aug. 15, 1955dumro' J Nqwoj Ferns E. NEWMAN INVENTORS W ;(m 2M Fliv DISPENSINGCLOSURE Edward J. Nawoj, Mount Prospect, Ill., and Ferris E.

Newman, Cleveland, Miss., assignors to Baxter Laboratories, Inc.

Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,478

3 Claims. (Cl. 128214) This invention relates to a dispensing closureand, more particularly, to a closure adapted for use with a parenteralsolution container.

Parenteral solutions have been conventionally housed in glass bottlesprovided with a smaller diameter neck, the neck being closed by a rubberstopper or plug. Inasmuch as the solutions are dispensed from thecontainer suspended in a mouth-downward condition, the stopper isgenerally provided with two passageways extending therethrough. Onepassageway permits outflow of liquid while the other permits entry ofair to replace the dispensed liquid. conventionally, this secondpassageway, or airway, has been equipped with an air tube constructed ofglass and extending inwardly of the container to a point adjacent thebase. Thus, the air tube permits the introduction of air at a pointabove the level of the solution being dispensed.

in the instance Where solutions from two containers are desired to beadministered simultaneously through a single conduit leading from onebottle source, it has been necessary to cause the solution from thesecond container to flow into the first mentioned container by way ofthe air tube, thus achieving a series hook-up. However, transfer of asolution in this manner causes a great deal of agitation and, where thesecond solution is blood, may result in blood cell damage. Also, causingthe blood to flow up through the air tube in the first bottle and thencascading down into the parenteral solution contained therein may resultin the blood being dispersed in the solution. This prevents rapid andeflicient administration of blood and possible loss if all the solutionis not administered.

This problem is overcome by the structure of our invention wherein theconventionally rigid air tube is replaced by one constructed of aflexible material and so constructed and arranged as to be dislodgeablewhenever solutions are desired to be administered simultaneously by theseries hook-up mentioned above.

Rigid glass air tubes as presently provided are not dislodgeable sincenot only are they shatterable but also because the tubes are insertedinto the stoppers a greater distance than that existing between theinner end of the air tube and the inside base of the container. It isconsidered desirable to provide a minimal distance between the inner endof the air tube and the base of the bottle so as to insure theintroduction of air above the liquid in the container when the containeris inverted, and, more importantly, to prevent liquid from escapingthrough the air tube. Also, lengthening this distance would requirelengthening of the container resulting in increased container cost.

Our invention will be explained in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective rview of a dual bottleparenteral solution apparatus; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentarycross-sectional view of a parenteral solution container provided withthe dis pensing closure of our invention; and Fig. 3 is a view UnitedStates Patent C) "ice Patented Feb. 2, 1960 similar to Fig. 2 but showsthe dispensing closure prior to heat sterilization thereof.

Referring now to the drawing and, in particular, Fig. 1. The numeral 10denotes a parenteral solution container disposed in a form suitable fordispensing. Shown in similar disposition is second parenteral solutioncontainer, generally designated 10. The fluid from container 10 flowsinto container 10 by transfer set 11 before entering parenteraladministration set generally designated 12. The conventional use of sucha series hook-up occurs where blood is to be administered. In such aninstance, blood is contained in container 10' and container 10 containsa parenteral solution such as saline. When a hook-up such as is shown inFig. 1 is used, saline solution is first caused to flow intoadministration set 12. It is therefore possible to determine whether theneedle portion of the administration set has entered a vein by flexingthe tubing portion so as to induce a flash back" of blood. If theadministration set were filled with blood, the signal achieved by aflash back would be masked. After the transfusion of blood fromcontainer 10' is completed, it is possible to flush administration set12 with saline so as to insure utilization of all of the more expensiveblood.

Containers 10 and 10 are shown mounted in a conventional fashion by bailmembers 13 and 13 respectively which are suspended from standard 14.Container 10 has mounted in its mouth portion a resilient stopper orplug 15, and container 10' a plug 15'. Inserted into the liquidpassageway of stopper 15 is administration set 12 which includes alength of flexible tubing 16. Aflixed to the ends of flexible tubing 16are suitable puncturing means such as a hypodermic needle 17 adapted forinsertion into the vein of a recipient, and plug-in 18 suitable forinsertion into stopper 15. Also provided as part of administration set12 is drip housing 19. The flow of fluid through administration set 12is regulated by clamp 20 mounted on flexible tubing 16.

Stopper 15' of container 10 is provided with a small liquid passagewayin which is inserted the plug-in portion 21' of transfer set generallydesignated 11. Transfer set 11 is substantially the same asadministration set 12 except that it does not require drip tube 19. Theother end of transfer set 11 is provided with plug-in 21 which isinserted intothe airway passage of stopper 15 of container 10. Whenblood is administered it is desirable to provide a filter as part ofdrip device 19 such as is designated 22.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the stopper 15 equipped with the air tubestructure of our invention is shown in enlarged view. Stopper 15 isprovided with two passages extending therethrough. One passage 23 actsas a liquid outflow passage while the other passage 24 serves to permitthe introduction of air. Stopper 15 is secured within the mouth ofcontainer 10 by the compressive force exerted by clamping ring 25 whichhas one flange 25a overlying a portion of the outer surface of stopper15 and another flange 25b anchored under bead 26 of container 10. Toclose passages 23 and 24 against contamination until use, diaphragm 27is provided which is mounted adjacent the outer surface of stopper 15and held thereagainst by the cooperation of clamping ring 25. It is tobe noted, however, that the stopper struc ture described above for usewith our invention can be modified to incorporate diaphragm 27 as anintegral part of stopper 15.

Mounted in air passage 24 is flexible air tube 28. Flexibility of airtube 28 can be achieved by constructing it of suitable plastic material.At the same time, use of a plastic material permits achieving thelocking structure designated 29 in Fig. 2.

Essentially air tube 28 is provided with a constricted or-neck portion28a at a -.point adjacent to -but spaced from its outward end. Acorresponding constricted portion 24a is provided in passage 24 whichcooperates with neck portion 28a to lock air tube 28 in stopper 15against inadvertent dislodgement.

An economical means for achieving the lock structure described aboveis'to provide a stopper 15 having an air passage 24 molded therein ofthe configuration shown in Fig. 2. Inserted into passage 24 at the timeof assembly of the container and closure is cylindrical air tube 28.Since air tube 28 has an outside diameter of about the same size as thebore of passage 24 outward of constricted portion 240, constrictedportion 24a is compressed, resulting in the structure shown in Fig. 3wherein the compressed portion is indicated by dotted lines. Uponsubjecting the assembly pictured in Fig. 3 to heat sterilizationpreferably in the range 230-250 F., the plastic material of which airtube 28 is constructed adapts itself to conform to the configuration ofpassage 2 When it is desired to connect containers 10 and 10 in a.series hook-up, plug-in 21 is inserted into passage 24 as indicated inFig. 2 thereby dislodging air tube 28, the result of which is seen inFig. 1. The other plug-in 21 of transfer set 11 is then inserted intothe liquid outlet passage of stopper i and blood from container is ableto .flowinto container 10 without turbulence and in such a dispositionto preferentially flow out of container 10 by way of passage 23. Thepreferential outflow of blood is achieved since blood has a specificgravity some- .what greater than the usual solution such as salinecontained in container 1! This substantially avoids dispersing blood inthe saline solution such as would be the case when air tube 28 is notremoved from passage 24-.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be inferredtherefrom.

We claim: 1. A dispensing closure for a container adapted to dispenseliquids in a mouth-downward condition com- 4 prising a resilient-stopper mounted in the mouth of said container, said stopper having atleast one passage extending from the inner end of said stopper at leastpartway through said stopper, and afiexible dislodgeable air entry tubemounted in said passage and extending only inwardly of said containerand constructed of a plastic material sufficiently stiff to resistdeformation by said resilient stopper at room temperatures.

2. The closure of claim 1 wherein the length of air tube mounted in saidstopper is greater than the distance extending between the inner base ofsaid container and the inner end of said air tube.

3. A dispensing closure comprising a resilient plug having at least onerecess in the bottom face thereof, said recess having a constrictedportion adjacent said bottom face and a flexible plastic air entry tubemounted in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,190,054 Cutter et al. Feb. 13, 1940 2,202,163 Mulford et al. May 28,1940 2,210,098 Ravenscroft Aug. 6, 1940 2,318,637 Schwab May 11, 19432,432,132 Allen Dec. [9, 1947 2,452,644 Fields Nov. '2, 1948 2,614,562Shaw Oct. 21, 1952 2,644,453 Beacham July 7, 1953 2,684,674 Archer July27, v1954 2,808,829 Butler Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 583,400 France-3." Oct. 30, 1924 77,233 Netherlands Feb. 22, 1954 OTHER REFERENCESModern Plastics, volume 25, number 6, February 1948, pages 73-80,128-214.

